A father’s dream crushed under building’s debris

NEW DELHI: “My dream was to make my children doctor and policeman but someone's greed not only killed them but destroyed my whole family,” said Umesh, father of Ashi (3), Saurya (2) who were among the seven persons died in building collapse in North West Delhi's Sawan Park area on Wednesday. The bodies were taken to their native places in Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to Millennium

Post, Umesh said that the last thing he remembers about his children that he gave them biscuits and then left for the job in morning. "I told my landlord to give me another house he told me to pay over Rs 10,000 for another place which was close to his office. I don't earn enough to pay that much amount. The owner used to levy heavy charges for the electricity bill. His greed destroyed my family," added Umesh.

He further claimed that in the incident, he lost his wife and brother too. "My wife told me about the condition of the building and we wanted to leave the house," Umesh said and then started crying.

On the fateful day, when news of his children's death was confirmed, he was totally devastated in the hospital.

Another deceased Munni Devi was also taken to her native place. One of her relatives Karan said that his uncle Rambahadur, who was also injured in the building collapse, was admitted to a Delhi-based hospital. “My uncle told me that he was having snacks with two guests when the building fell down after that he remembers nothing," said Karan who works as the driver and visited Munni this year on Holi.

Bimalesh, who lived in the building said that 10 days ago, he wanted to shift to another place but the landlord Dharmendra told him to stay assuring that the building is safe.

This year in July, a husband and wife were killed after the roof fell on them in Dwarka.